He never cared about me. He never would. He was always on the take, but this time he took too much. I betrayed my family tonight. I lost my virginity tonight. I was ready to give up this whole life tonight. I loved him, and he treated me like I was no better than the dirt on the bottom of his shoe. One thought makes me smile through the hot tears streaming down my face.

I could have him killed.

Nico

Just plain sex. I tried to convince myself that’s all it was. Except there was nothing plain about what we did that night. I lied to myself about how I feel, and I lied to her when I told her I wanted her to leave. Now I’m dodging calls from her crazy brother, who, if he found out I’d so much as seen her naked, would wrap his hands around my throat and squeeze until my eyeballs popped out of the sockets.

And yeah, I’ve seen my best friend do just that for a hell of a lot less.

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author and momtrepreneur with a penchant for stilettos, Silicon Valley, plunging necklines and grapefruit martinis. As a deep-rooted romantic who prefers juicy drama to fill the lives of anyone other than her, she tried her hand at creating a world of enchantment, sensuality, and intrigue, finally uncovering her true passion. No pun intended…

My grandfather’s voice drifts back into my conscious. I’d love to have a few more minutes with him to figure out why the hell he ever got involved with this shit in the first place.

I want it all, but can I have it all? That’s the magic question, one I have yet to answer for myself. Seems like any direction I go will lead to a dead end. And someone’s gonna have the barrel of a gun pointed directly at me.

Shaye is right. I love what I do. I love having the freedom to make decisions, to build businesses from scratch and watch the money pour into them as time passes. I love having people at my beck and call, people who are anxious to do me favors because they sense the power and control I have — things that they want for themselves, things they know I can provide them. I love knowing that I can do whatever I please and get whatever I want at any time. I’ve worked my ass off for those privileges, and they don’t come cheap. I’ve done my time. I’ve watched and learned. I’ve been groomed for this position. People put a lot of trust and faith in my ability to make them money, and I never disappoint.

But despite everything I’ve achieved, I know there’s always someone lurking, positioned to pull the rug out from under me because he thinks he can do it better. I pay for protection, just as my father does, but that doesn’t mean someone else’s money isn’t just as green. Loyalty is fleeting. If someone comes along with a grand plan and a hell of a lot of cash behind him, my good looks and charm won’t be able to protect my position for too long.

Grandpa made sure to keep me front and center, letting everyone know, in no uncertain terms, that his protégé would eventually carry on his legacy. But for as strong as I appear to be, I know I’m vulnerable. We all are. All it takes is one bullet and someone with a motive.